Venetian blind mechanism



March 27, 1951 c s o I 2,546,886

VENETAIN BLIND MECHANISM Filed April 22, 1949 INVENTOR IS ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 27, 1 951 VENETIAN BLIND MECHANISM Rudolph Cusumano, 'San Gabriel, Calif., assignor to Lorentzen Hardware Mfg. Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 22, 1949, Serial N 0. 89,024

8 Claims.

This invention relates to Venetian blinds; and it embraces a method of, and apparatus for, displacing the plane of the blind generally parallel to itself.

In providing a window with a Venetian blind, the blind is either mounted to hang nested with-.

in the frame of the window or mounted to hang on the room side of the window jambs. The first type of mounting is referred to in the trade as an inside mounting, the second as an outside mounting. In an inside mounting, the blind is so positioned that the slats, when in horizontal position, will clear the window sash by a small amount. In an outside mounting, the slats are long enough to overlap a portion of the front faces of the j ambs and the blind is so positioned that the slats, when in horizontal position, will clear the front faces of the jambs by a small amount.

When the blind is tilted, the overall horizontal thickness of the array of slats is reduced. This results in a vertical so-called light line between each end of the blind and the sash in the case of an inside mounting, and between each end of the blind and the front of the jambs in the case of an outside mounting. These light lines are the elimination of these vertical light lines; see, v

for example, patent to J. W. Dunn 2,413,754 issued January 7, 1947.

- An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, effective and inexpensive method of eliminating the vertical light lines which occur at the ends of a Venetian blind when the same is tilted.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in connection with a Venetian blind, simple, in-

expensive and effective means for eliminating verv Further objects. and objects relating to details and economies of construction, manufacture and use, will more definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. tion, parts may at times be identified by specific names for clarity and convenience; but such I nomenclature is to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context and with the concept of my invention as distinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best forms in which I have contemplated applying my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a Venetian blind mounted inside a window frame.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and the slats of the blind being shown in horizontal position.

Fig. 3 is, a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the I slats in tilted position.

Fig. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view showing one element of my fittin in conjunction with a fragment of the tilt bar.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing another Y element of my fitting. k

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a second form of fitting embodying the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a partly diagrammatic cross-sectional view showing how the invention may be applied to a blind of the enclosed metal head type.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View showing the blinddisplacing rocker of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 .is a perspective view ShOWil'lg the cam fitting of Fig. 7 that actuates the blind-displacing rocker.

Fig. 1 shows a window frame designated as a whole by I0 having a Venetian blind mounted inside thereof. The blind (see also Figs. 2 and 3) consists essentially of an array of slats ll sup-, ported in conventional manner by a pair of ladder tapes l2, l2 which are attached to and depend from a tilt bar Id. The tilt bar is mounted for oscillation on a horizontal axis at l5, which may be established by suitable pivotal connection at the ends of the tilt bar to supporting brackets which are attached to and depend from a head bar l6. One such tilt bar bracket is shown at I! in Figs. 2 and 3 and, as is well. understood in the art, one of these supporting brackets may be equipped with means (not shown) for tilting the tilt bar. To obscure the tilt bar and operating mechanism, a fascia board or the like l8 may be attached to the head bar IS. The blind is adapted In the claims, as well as in the descrip- 3 to be raised and lowered in conventional manner by lift cords I9 and is adapted to be tilted by tilt cords 20 which actuate the tilting mechanism of the blind.

The Venetian blind construction just described is conventional in the art, and other suitable Venetian blind arrangements which are known to the art rriay be substituted therefor.

With the inside mounting shown inthe drawings, the slats of the blind, When in horizontal position, clear the window sash 2| by a slight amount as shown in Fig. 2. When the blind is tilted in either direction, the sash-adjacent edges of the slat are moved away from the plane "of the window, thereby producing a light line beg tween the ends of the blind and the sash unless some steps are taken to prevent the formation of such a light line. In the case of an outside mounting, both the head bar and the slats are somewhat longer. The head bar is usually supported by suitable brackets'atta'ched to the front faces 2-2; -22'of"'the" window James, the slats of the blind being long enough to overlap the front faces ofthe"jambsfor an appreciable distance, as by extending from A to "A iriFig. 1. With 'such' an outside mounting, the slats of the blind, when in'hor izontal'position," clear'the front faces of the ja'nib'by a smalramdum; and when the slats are tilted, vertical light lines are formed between the ehdsbf the blind and the front faces of the jambs'iz, 22 unless steps are taken" to prevent mens ruat on of such light lines.

In accordance 'with my invention, the vertical plane of theblind is displaced towards the'wi n' dow 'as theb lind is tilted in either direction. This displacement prevents the formation of the vertical lightlir'res between the blind and the window sash in the case of aninsi'de mounting, and betweeflthe blindand the front'faces 'ofthe janrbs in the case of an outside 'rnounti'nlg." displacement is preferably effected automatically by means associated with each ladder tape of the pair ofladdertapes shownin'Figl '1, In the event of the"bI-in :l having morethari twe ladder tapes, it is usually sufficient t6 associate such blind displacing 'manswith the pair of ladder tapes that constitute the end ladder tapes cfthe blind.

The blincl displacinlg means associated with one of; the ladder tapes" is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. one-piece sheet metal bracket 25is secured to the head" bar It and pivotally supportsa rocker 2s. ag'snown in Fig. 5, the'bra'cket 25 has a horizontal arm 2'! provided with screw holes" 28, 28 for attaching it to the head 'bar I6 as shown in Figs; 2 and 3. Dependingfrom the horizontal arm 21 is a vertical arm 29 provided" with a horizontal slot 30. The slot 30 is adaptedto receive the rocker 26,'whi ch is perhaps best seen in' Fig '4. This rocker'isa one-piece L-shaped sheet "metal stampin havin a relatively long dependingv arm "3| that is adaptedto be inserted through the slot 30. until shoulders 32, 32 en-. gage the depending arm 29." This leaves the rocker 26 free to'swing' pivctally with respect to bracket 25 by. which it is. supported. The rocker. 26 also has ahorizontal arm 34 which is adapted to overlie the tilt bar 14 and which may be biturcated as shown'so that the'two branches of the arm '34 will lie on opposite sides of; the slot 35 t fb eh i h he 9rd ll ae s- "ljhe su p rti racket 2 and he cker Z5 siistmm Fig. 1. If the blind have ziior than ees ut a ind-d s l c n means an 'itw t two ladder tapes, one such blind-displacing means will be associated with at least the pair of ladder tapes which constitute the end ladder tapes of the blind.

As the tilt bar is tilted in either direction to tilt the slats of the blind, the rocker arm 34 is amm d u ard y by e til ba thus i ing rocking movement to the rocker 26. In response to this rocking movement, the depending arm 3| of the rocker forces its associated ladder tape towards the window. Thus, the rockers, acting on the two ladder tapes of the blind, displace the plane of the blind towards the plane of the window as the blind is tilted in either direction. This displacement prevents the formation of light lines between the ends of the blind and the window sash in the case of an inside mounting, and between the ends of the blind and the front faces of the window jamb in the case of an outside mounting.

A modified form of blind displ'acin means is shown in Fig. 6 in which a U-shaped supporting bracket 40 is provided with screw holes 4], 4% for attaching it to the head bar It similarly to the attachment of supporting braclret 25. Pivotally mounted in the lower'ends of the legs of bracket 40' is an L-shaped rocker 'mer'nber formed of stiff wire. rocker, which oper ates in the same manner as rocker 2 6, has horizontal q'rnegsfnm which are adapted over lie the head bar and receive rocking movement therefrom, and has a Ll-shaped depending rm, 4. w i h is adapted w st e the rt ee branch of the ladder tape and displace it to fd t e s and r he W 'ld W a t bl nd tiltedj Whi g ,1-6. d sc os my ie ent e as as: plied to a Venetian blind having a woodenfhead ar nd. a wooden t l bar i hqu e be. usd f tood ha t e in ntion 'i a s a pl able. t ther y e blinds su h s a were, nd f he ncl s d met need tim sed m ta h ad l nds he. tilt a i sual n th tom o a r d. stee sha t nd my lind-d sp ac ng rocker may be, ac ua ed. ther om in an s table ma in r I a t"... t; en ecessary tha 'f h blmeds ncm re 1 be actuated wmflie t ltban bu only the the e we e a y sui a l mann 1112 me of the bl nd, bein Preferably l nked to at g par f th ind .c' e; ceive locking movement thereof,

F 1cm 9. ha i w ich. th i1;- e itien may be applied to c am o e metal head b ind.- Moun ed U hap d me al ch nnel 5.915 a c adle. .11 hay ng two longitudinally-spaced vertical webs (one; 7 awn)- Jo rneled n t e t n of th webs 5 s? 1 2, her 1. th mm of a metal rod 5 6t -slraped tress Sect n. Attached t theme 2, and heate b tw en e at can 1 paced we f the r dle is a tape 4 o whi h a e ec re th upper ends'of b ver: ical ran hes 55, 5 5 f the usual, la der these branches passing through slots at 5,5,, in. the. o to h cha n 511.. P a rote. a f th rod 2 n. ither direc qn. one. of th ve sal bran he 5 f- .e. adde, t pe is ed while the other is lowered, thereby tilting a s at the lind a w l u d r tood he carried by the tilt'bar, 5,2 is a cam fitting 5 1 ie- 9). whiqll a tue fis ro ker. 53 (see in Except or he a d t n, Q he am fittin 1' e meter 53, th hsiril iiqn i El e", is more fully disclosed in the applicationof Harry Nelson; Serial No. 778,002,: filed .October 4,1947. J

' Referring to Fig. 8, the rocker 58 is a generally U-shaped member formed of stiff wire and having a relatively long depending arm 55 threaded through one of the slots at 56 in the channel 59, the particular slot being made wide enough to receive both the rocker and the verticalbranch of the ladder tape. The length of this slot at 56 is only slightly greater than the Width of the arm 59 so that shoulders 50, 50 rest on the bottom of the channel 50 and prevent the rocker 58 from descending to a position lower than that shown in Fig. '7. It will be seen that by this arrangement the rocker 58 is pivotally supported on an axis which is substantially in alignment with the shoulders 50, 60. Extending upwardly from the shoulders 50, '65 are motion-receiving portions' -fl', '6! which preferably are positioned adjacent to the confronting faces of the two vertical webs 53 of the cradle These portions 6|, 6! bear against cam elements 64, 64 of the cam fitting 51 which is mounted on the rod 52 between the two vertical webs 53 of the cradle. The connecting bar 65 of the cam fitting 5'! lies in a longitudinal slot or opening in the top of drum 54. The cam elements 64, 64 are provided with slots 66, 66 so that these cam members may be forced onto the tilt bar 52 and be carried thereby, being laterally flexed in the process if necessary; or, if desired, the tilt bar 52 may be telescoped into the bar-receiving enlargements at the inner ends of slots 66, 66.

Upon rotation of the tilt bar 52 in either direction, the rocker 58 is swung counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 7, thereby displacing the ladder tape and the plane of the blind, as previously described in connection with Figs. 1-5. If desired, the cam elements 64, 64 may be given different shapes in the upper and lower active quadrants shown in Fig. 7, so that the amount of displacement and rate of displacement of the blind will be different when the blind is tilted in the two directions. In fact, the cam elements may obviously be so shaped that the blind is displaced when it is tilted in one direction and not displaced at all when it is tilted in the opposite direction.

I claim:

1. In a Venetian blind for a window, the blind having a head bar, a tilt bar pivotally mounted beneath the head bar, a pair of ladder tapes spaced along the tilt bar and depending therefrom, and an array of slats supported by the ladder tapes; blind-displacing means operative to automatically displace the plane of the blind toward the plane of the window when the tilt bar is tilted to till the slats of the blind, said blinddisplacing means comprising: supports attached to the head bar in association with the ladder tapes, and rockers pivoted to the supports on axes which are parallel to the axis of the tilt bar and which are positioned forwardly and upwardly of the axis of the tilt bar, each rocker having an arm extending over the tilt bar to receive rocking movement therefrom when the tilt bar is tilted and having a depending arm to engage the associated ladder tape and displace it toward the window in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker by the tilt bar.

2. In a Venetian blind, a head bar, a tilt bar pivotally mounted beneath the head bar, a pair of ladder tapes spaced along the tilt bar and dependingtherefrom, and an array of slats supported by .the ladder tapes; blind-displacing means operative to automatically displacethe plane of the blind generally parallel to itself when the tilt bar is tilted to tilt the slats of' the blind, said blind-displacing means comprising: supports attached to the head bar in association with the ladder tapes, and rockers pivoted to the supportson axes which are parallel to the axis of the tilt bar and spaced therefrom, each rocker having a portion extending adjacentv to the tilt bar to receive rocking movement there: from when the, tilt bar is tilted and having a portion extending adjacent to the associated ladder tape to engage the same and. displace it generally. parallel to itself in response :to the rocking movement imparted to the rockeriby the tiltbar. -I A 3. In a'Venetian blind for a window, the blind, having a tilt bar, a pair of ladder tapes spaced along the tilt bar and depending therefrom, and an array of slats supported by the ladder tapes; blind-displacing means operative to automatically displace the plane of the blind toward the plane of the window when the tilt bar is tilted to tilt the slats of the blind, said blind-displacing meansl comprising: supports mounted in association with the ladder tapes, and rockers pivoted to the supports on axes which are parallel to the axis of the tilt bar and spaced therefrom, each rocker having a portion operatively associated with the tilt bar to receive rocking movement therefrom when the tilt bar is tilwd and having a, portion extending adjacent to the associated ladder tape to engage the same and displace it toward the window in response to the rocking movement imparted to the rocker by the tilt bar.

4. For a Venetian blind having a tilt bar and a ladder tape depending therefrom; blind-displacing means comprising: a support having an attaching portion and a depending portion, and a rocker pivoted to the depending portion, the rocker having an arm to overlie the tilt bar and receive rocking movement therefrom and having a depending arm to engage and displace the ladder tape in response to the rocking movement received from the tilt bar. 7

5. For a Venetian blind having a tilt bar and a ladder tape depending therefrom; blind-displacing means comprising: a support for mounting in association with the upper portion of the ladder tape, and a rocker pivoted to the support, the rocker having a portion to receive movement from an operating part of the blind and having a portion to engage and displace a portion of the ladder tape which is a little below the upper end thereof.

6. For a Venetian blind having a tilt bar and a ladder tape depending therefrom; blind-displacing means comprising: a support for mounting in association with the upper portion of the ladder tape, and an L-shaped rocker pivoted to the support, one arm of the L-formation being adapted to overlie the tilt bar and receive rocking movement therefrom when the tilt bar is tilted, and the other arm of the L-formation being adapted to engage the ladder tape a little below the upper end thereof and displace it in response to the rocking movement received from the tilt bar.

7. In a Venetian blind having a tilt bar, a pair of ladder tapes supported along the tilt bar and depending therefrom, and an array of slats supported by the ladder tapes; blind-displacing 

